One NBA team ditched basketball's most popular play. They're scoring more than ever.
One NBA team ditched basketball's most popular play. They're scoring more than ever.
One NBA team ditched basketball's most popular play. They're scoring more than ever. — NBC News
The Miami Heat are running pick-and-rolls at a historically low rate this season.
To save a click it’s Miami:
So far this season, Miami is not only doing things differently — its offense is essentially unlike any the NBA has seen over the last decade-plus.
After a 110-96 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, the Heat are 9-6 and averaging 123.6 points per game — a top-three mark in the league. Miami is doing so despite averaging only 15.5 pick-and-rolls per 100 possessions — the fewest in the NBA by a galaxy or two, per Genius Sports. (The 29th place Utah Jazz, the next lowest, are running 44.7 pick-and-rolls per 100.)
The Heat aren’t only an outlier this season, they are a historical one. Miami is deriving the least offense from picks of any team over the last 15 seasons, per Sportradar.
Instead of on-ball screens, Miami is relying on pace (first in the NBA), off-ball movement and drives to the hoop to score. And it has revived an offense that’s typically been one of the league’s most plodding.